Page 157 of Keep Me Never
No, the anger faded pretty fast. Ironically enough, it’s the trust andloyaltythat I’m struggling to see in him. But he knows it and continues to try to make amends.
He even went back to the school and paid for my last semester.Again.But he was out of his mind if he truly thought I would allow that. I didn’t, told him to go and try to get his refund, but I think the refund period had passed by the time he madethe payment. If it did, he never mentioned it, especially not after Paige read him the riot act for putting himself in my business again, even if he sort of did have better intentions that time. Or maybe it was just guilt.
Paige, the sweetheart she is, has chosen to put everything behind her for the sake of the relationship she wants to have with him, but I know it will always be in the back of her mind, and I think he knows that, too.
She did agree to be a part of his company, though she won’t be as hands on as he originally had hoped. At least, not anytime soon anyway, but she did sign the contract, just in case. That way, if something were to happen to him between now and when she’s ready, no one can take or threaten what is and should be rightfully hers, wanted or not.
Turned out, that marriage clause he threw out at me that day was tricky of him because I found out she never had to marry someone of his choosing. It was her choice all along, who that man would be.
That man is me because I am going to marry this girl the second she lets me, but we’ve already got two weddings coming up, so I will wait until it’s our turn.
So yeah, she is officially the heiress to a Fortune 500 company.
A company that just so happens to have announced the early stages of development for their brand-new division. A division dedicated to working specifically with professional athletes—to help them plan for the future and preserve their impact long after the game is over.
That is an exact line from the official press release that went out this past week, alongside a list of the people responsible for this new and unexpected venture. Neither Paige nor I missed how the role of CEO was left blank, or the fact that in the article itself, Grant praised said nameless CEO and what he will bring to the table when he’s ready to “step into his role and get the new section off the ground”: unwavering loyalty and firsthand experience.
It blew my mind, honestly, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.
My best friends are on the cusp of the NFL, of making millions, and knowing how quickly something can be taken away with a single, seemingly standard hit, if I am given the opportunity to help protect their futures, securing their fortunes for the next generation, then that’s exactly what I want to do.
But I’m going to make him come to me and ask me to be a part of this, even if it’s obvious he created this entire extension of his company to include me. To give me my own place within it, and not just as Paige’s plus-one.
The man is trying to right his wrongs. I will give him that, even if this is far more than I’d have expected.
Tonight, though, we’re not here to talk about the future money maker of the company. We’re here for Paige.
Her eyes are shining as she listens to her grandfather speak, her hand tight in my own.
“I started this charity in the name of my late daughter,” Grant continues. “A charity dedicated to helping children who need a little more than they can get at home—be it from an absent parent or a busy, hardworking one. I wanted to create a space, a refuge, for kids who need a little extra love, a little extra kindness, or maybe just a friend to toss the ball around with. It’s about providing a safe space for them to feel seen and heard, even when the world doesn’t seem to care.
“But I would be lying if I told you that I just magically came up with this overnight. Or if I stood here and claimed to have been the one who thought of this idea at all. I did not.” He pauses, gripping the podium as his eyes find Paige’s for a brief moment.
“In the last year, I’ve been more inspired than I ever thought I could be. And it’s all thanks to a young woman who came into my life, turned it upside down, and showed me things I didn’t even know I needed to learn. Her unwavering belief in others, her kindness, her heart—she taught me to see what truly matters,to understand that love doesn’t just heal, it empowers. I continue to learn from her every single day.
“Without Paige, none of this would have been possible. She’s the one who opened my eyes to the world beyond my own, who made me realize that there is a lot of good that can be done in this world if given the right resources, so that is what we at Randolph Legacies plan to do. From this moment forward, for every dollar we make, we give half back to the places it’s needed most. And now I’d like to introduce you to the young woman who is making this all possible.” He holds his hand out and Paige’s grip on mine tightens. “My granddaughter, Paige.”
The room erupts in applause, the local after-school-program kids in the front rows clapping and screaming—a little addition she asked for before agreeing to come tonight.
She turns to me, pressing her palm to my cheek before she stands and walks toward the podium, her presence filling the space with grace and warmth.
She winks my way, then smiles across the room, her voice steady and strong. “Thank you so much for coming out tonight,” she says, and I get lost in the light that is her.
That girl is mine, and I am never letting her go.
I can see it, the nervous energy radiating off of Paige. She’s trying so damn hard to hide it, but there’s not much she can hide from me these days.
Her knuckles are tight in her lap, and there’s this tension in her shoulders. She’s excited, yeah, but there’s something else there. Something she’s not saying, and I only grow more curious when Kevin, the driver her grandpa loaned her tonight, pulls up outside of the Drive-In.
He gets out and comes around, opening our doors and she rushes out.
I grin at her, playing along and step out beside her, tugging her to me the second my feet hit the pavement.
“You know,” I tease. “Going to the Drive-In usually requiresdriving in…” The words slip out playfully, and she smacks my stomach, dragging me forward.
I go willingly, let her lead me into the park and down the long line of cars. I think maybe we’re headed to the few rows on benches near the snack bar but she passes those two and I can’t help but chuckle.
We’re getting funny glances from everyone, looking all sort of out of place, her in her gown and heels, me in my rented tux and loafers.
